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A Guide to PA Festivals & Events
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Suggest a Pennsylvania Festival, Fair or Event Here or Read What other Vistors Wrote
When was the last time you attended one of the many PA Festivals? Be careful, it's an addicting Pennsylvania Attraction, especially the Annual Events. Your choices are endless with four beautiful seasons celebrated every year in the Central Pennsylvania Mountains. You'll find a wide variety of PA craft shows and unique entertainment.
No matter what time of year you choose to visit Pennsylvania you'll always find a PA Festival or Annual Event that will charm you into coming back year after year.
Don't miss the annual Pennsylvania County Fairs! Every fair is as unique as the county it's located in.
DECEMBER TO JANUARY
- November 20th to January 8th, 2008 Another really nice winter event is located in Altoona, PA, at Lakemont Park. It's called " "Holiday Lights On The Lake" ". It begins at the end of November and runs through mid January. Travel through Lakemont Park in the convenience of your warm car and see acres of animated light displays while listening to holiday music.
- December 31st to January 1st, 2008 Nothing kicks off the New Year like our Winter PA Festival, "First Night". Located in State College, PA. This annual event is completely focused on family and lasts several days into the New Year.
- February 2nd, 2008 The most popular Winter PA Festival is celebrated on Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA. How could we possibly know how many weeks of winter are left without Punxsutawney Phil's prediction? This annual event attracts visitors from all over the world. Gobbler's Knob is a Pennsylvania tradition, read the history and exactly what makes old Phil so popular.
PA Festivals Celebrate the Arrival of Spring!
Spring is always an exciting season in the Pennsylvania Mountains. Once our long winter has finally passed there is no better way to celebrate the arrival of spring then our annual PA Festivals. Even though spring in PA still has a bit of a cold nip in the air the communities are anxious to get outdoors and celebrate.
APRIL-MAY
- Among the first of spring festivals is, of course, the many Maple Festivals. You'll find Maple Festivals scattered through the Allegheny Mountains. If you have never attended a Maple Festival then you are cheating your senses out of one of tastiest festivals homespun America has to offer.
- May 16th-17th-18th, 2008 One of the biggest Pennsylvania attractions is our annual PA arts and crafts shows. The third week in May is a big weekend for central Pennsylvania. Penn State University, Altoona, hosts The Blair County Arts Festival . Artists from all over the Allegheny Mountains enter their art for juried judging. Besides all the beautiful art you'll find entertainment, craft booths, and good food.
- 2nd weekend of every month From early spring to late fall you can enjoy a unique way to tour Central Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau offer Mystery Tours every month. Through these Mystery Tours I have found places through the Allegheny Mountains that I never knew existed.
Late spring brings an abundance of strawberries. Take a ride along any Allegheny Mountain road and you'll see signs announcing the many community Strawberry Festivals.
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Summer Days & PA Festivals
A Beautiful Mix
Nothing helps more than a good old-fashioned PA Festival when going through those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Some weekends are so full of events that it's hard to choose exactly where you want to spend your time.
Every community in the Allegheny Mountains has their own special events to celebrate summer. You'll find that each PA Festival is unique in it's own way.
JUNE
- June 26th to 29th, 2008 If you're a biker, you'll love Johnstown's Annual "Thunder In The Valley". It's the perfect way to tour the Allegheny Mountains. Thousands of bikers come from all over the country to enjoy the Johnstown Bike Riley. Of course you don't have to be a biker to enjoy Thunder In The Valley. Always expect the unexpected when you attend this annual event.
- June 25th to 28th, 2008 What better way to kick your summer off than attend the Pennsylvania Christian Music Festive "Creation Festival"? It's a 4-day outdoor Christian concert where you can camp under the stars!
- June 26th - July 6th, 2008 The Kutztown Festival celebrates folklore and folklife for nine days. Attend this annual Pennsylvania Festival and you'll fall in love with Pennsylvania and it's history.
- July 4th, 2008 Start your July off with a bang. There are fireworks displays in every nook and cranny of Central Pennsylvania. My favorite 4th of July celebration is Summer Thunder at DelGrosso Amusement Park.
- Third week in July One of the summer’s biggest events in Central PA, begins in Altoona, it is the annual Tour de Toona . It’s an international bike race that is the prelude to Tour de France. Men and women come from all over the world to compete in this rugged bike race.
- July 10th to 13th, 2008 One of my favorite annual events is located in State College, PA. It's a five-day festival that has just about everything and anything you can expect from an PA Arts and Crafts Festival. People come from all over the country to attend one of our biggest PA Festivals in State College, PA "The Central Pennsylvania's Festival of the Arts." You'll be amazed at the mixture of art, crafts, and wide variety of ethnic foods. You'll find talented artist and craftsmen from all over the country and from all over the world.
- July 10th to 13th, 2008 While you're in the area, why drive 3 miles east of State Collage and attend the "People's Choice Festival"? It's located in Boalsburg, PA. This festival is actually a spin off from "The Central Pennsylvania's Festival of the Arts." Read the story of how local artist banned together to start this annual event.
- July 19th & 20th, 2008 DelGrosso Amusement Park holds its annual Native American Pow Wow . It's a beautiful celebration that lasts a whole weekend. Learn to dance in the circle to the native drums, listen to the chants of the warriors, and enjoy the many handmade Native American craft booths. It's an experience you won't soon forget.
- The Kutztown Festival is true Pennsylvania folklore tradition. This German Pennsylvania Dutch Festival is designed to bring you back in time where history will unfold before your eyes. This beautiful craft and music festival is an annual July event. I can't think of a bigger Pennsylvania attraction.
- Every Thursday Evening you can visit Lakemont Park and enjoy the Summer Wing Off contest and Jazz music in the park. Local bars, pubs, and restaurants bring their famous hot chicken wings to sample, you get to vote for your favorite, then at the end of the 6 week contest the winner is announced. It's really a lot of fun.
- Every Wednesday Evening You can also enjoy Spaghetti Wednesday at DelGrosso Amusement Park . There you can enjoy a variety of different authentic Italian dishes. Each week through the summer season you are offered a different Italian specialty dish, along with their regular dish, Spaghetti and Meatballs.
- Mountains Days July 31st to August 2nd, 2008 Who would think you could have so much fun at a PA State Park? Well, every August you can enjoy Mountain Days at Prince Gallitzin State Park.
Summer in the Allegheny Mountains is about family fun, good food, family entertainment, and lots of art and craft shows. It all boils down to the simple life, a simple vacation without spending a whole lot of money.
If you are visiting Pennsylvania we have all the top quality hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast places to stay. Of course you can always visit our many beautiful PA State Parks and enjoy their many camping facilities. Many also have rental cabins that can be rented by the day or week.
Fall Finally Arrives with PA Craft and Spooky Festivals
A Guide to Fall Festivals & Annual Events
Always a Grand FinaleAh, my favorite season arrives. I always have mixed feelings during the fall months. The heat of summer is finally turning into beautiful sunny days and cool evenings. The fall foliage is in full swing. Every direction I look I am reminded of why I love the Allegheny Mountains. Yet, I know winter will once again arrive and I'll have to say goodbye to many of my outdoor activities.
September and October are always full of PA Festivals with Handmade Crafts and Halloween Celebrations. The weather couldn't be more perfect for these events. Just like all the other seasons there are times it's hard to figure out where you'll want to bring your family.
SEPTEMBER
- September 1st & 2nd, 2007 Shawnee Mountain Area's "Pocono Garlic Festival" A stinking Pennsylvania Festival!
- September 5th to 7th, 2008 Lakemont Parks "Altoona First Festival" is without a doubt one of my favorite fall festivals. It was known as Keystone Country Festival until 2005.
- Cancelled 2007"The Keystone Country Festival" at the Blair County Convention Center.
- September 21st, 2008 Another of my favorites is offered each year at DelGrosso Park. They have two annual events in September. The first is The "Italian Food & Heritage Festival" . Eat a variety of ethnic Italian food, listen to the romantic Italian music, and take part in Italian traditions.
- September 20th & 21st, 2008 Visit the Berks County Pennsylvania Renewable Energy Festival for an interactive education on a glimpse into our future.
- September 27th, 2008 Children and Adults alike will learn from this PA Science Festival. It's call "The Great Insect Fair" and held at Penn State University in State College, PA. Watch your kids interact with a diversity of insects. Stop at the Insect Deli!
- September 27th & 28th, 2008 At the end of September you can enjoy DelGrosso Amusement Parks annual "Harvestfest" . It is one of the special events that will allow you to step back in time and enjoy a beautiful fall folk festival. Sample various old-fashioned food, PA art and craft show, petting zoo, and a Civil War reenactment.
- October 5th, 2008 Life don't get much better than attending an old fashioned Apple Cider Festival at Prince Gallitzin State Park. Enjoy homemade crafts, wild life shows, great food, and of course homemade apple cider and apple butter.
- October 4th & 5th- 11th & 12th, 2008 Who can resist a beautiful Bedford, "Fall Foliage Festival?" Bedford County's annual event is full of beautiful scenery, craft booth, good food, and music. The history in this area will inspire you to visit many times.
- October 5th, 2008 Enjoy the simple life and discover "Apple Cider Festival" at the beautiful PA State Park Prince Gallitzin.
- October 11th, 2008 Are you looking for a strange little PA festival? Plan on attending the annual Hartslog Day celebration. It's a one-day event in the middle of October.
- Every Weekend in October - Seven Springs Mountain Resort one of the few places I feel comfortable and right at home. My family always schedules a weekend get-away during their "Autumnfest". To accommodate people from all over the world during AutumnFest Seven Springs sets aside 4 weekends in October. You'll not only experience the beautiful mountains, but also a good old-fashioned folk festival, music, and great food. Reserve a room the first time you visit and you'll make a habit of visiting this area year after year during "Autumnfest".
- October 28 to 30th One of the most unique PA Festivals is an annual event located high in the Allegheny Mountains. It's called the "All Saints and Souls Tour by Candlelight" . It's celebrated every October in celebration of Halloween.
As time allows I'll be adding a lot more PA Festivals & Annual Events to this list. I'm sure you can find a weekend to spend in Pennsylvania and enjoy the simple life we tend to take for granted. I have to warn you at this point, once you attend a Pennsylvania annual event you'll be just as addicted as I am to run yourself ragged to attend all the special PA Festivals before they are gone for another year.
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